SANBI

Rationale

Boopsoidea inornata is a small, common species that is endemic to South Africa. This species is taken commercially and recreationally but is primarily used for bait. Continuous monitoring of recreational and commercial ski-boat catch and effort data is important for this species as it is likely that future catches of B. inornata may increase as a result of the depletion of larger species. There is also a need for study of the reproductive biology, early life history, growth, and length/weight relationship of B. inornata. It is listed as least Concern.

Distribution

Boopsoidea inornata is endemic to South Africa and is distributed from Cape Point to southern Kwazulu-Natal (Smith and Heemstra 1991) and has a depth range of 5 to 30 m depth (van der Elst 1988).

Habitat View more ecological information

Population trend

Trend

Boopsoidea inornata a very common species and was one of the most abundant species observed in visual surveys from Algoa Bay (Beckley and Buxton 1989) and Tsitsikamma National Park (Buxton and Smale 1984). This species has not been aged and no specific stock assessments done. Work conducted by Burger (1990) showed greater abundance of B. inornata in exploited areas adjacent to the Tisitsikamma MPA possibly as a result of prey release and the removal of predatory species by fishing. The total commercial catch of B. inornata has declined from about three tonnes in 2001 to less than 0.5 tonnes in 2008. However, using targeted effort data, there was no significant upward or downward trend in abundance (CPUE) over a 25 year period since 1985 (NMLS unpublished data).

Commercial data show that since 2000, commercial linefishing effort has declined dramatically in the entire linefishery from approximately 3,000 to 450 vessels in line with the long-term fisheries rights allocation process implemented in 2006 (Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 2012).

Threats

Boopsoidea inornata may become increasingly important in the South East Cape and South West Cape as other larger reef fish species are depleted; therefore, it is possible that future catches of this species will increase with increased targeting and the use of smaller hooks (Mann and Buxton pers. comm. 2009). There are no major threats known to this species at the present time.

Uses and trade

Boopsoidea inornata is an important component of recreational and commercial skiboat catches in the Southeastern and Southwestern Cape. It is primarily used as bait but is increasingly being used for food as other larger reef fish species become depleted (Wood and Cowley 2012). This species is also frequently taken by shore anglers fishing in deep water of the Eastern Cape and Western Cape (Lamberth 1996, Brouwer 1997, King 2005, Smith 2005).

Conservation

The daily bag limit of B. inornata for recreational fishers is ten fish per person per day with no minimum landing size and an unlimited bag restriction for commercial fishers (Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries 2012). This species is effectively protected in a number of no-take MPAs over its entire distributional range including the De Hoop Marine Reserve, Goukamma, Tsitsikamma National Park, Sardinia Bay Reserve, Bird Island, Dwesa Cwebe and Pondoland (B. Mann and C. Buxton pers. comm. 2009).

It is likely that future catches of this species will increase as the abundance of larger species continues to decline; therefore, continuous monitoring of recreational and commercial ski-boat catch and effort data is required (Wood and Cowley 2012).

References

[@techreport{2060,
 address = {Durban},
 author = {Mann, B.Q.},
 institution = {Southern African Association for Marine Biological Research Oceanographic Research Institute},
 title = {Southern African Marine Linefish Species Profiles},
 year = {2013}
}
,@book{12137,
 address = {Cape Town},
 author = {van der Elst, R.},
 publisher = {Struik Publishers},
 title = {A guide to the common sea fishes of Southern Africa (2nd edition)},
 year = {1988}
}
,@techreport{12137,
 author = {Lamberth, S.J.},
 institution = {Final Report to the Sea Fisheries Research Institute},
 title = {The distribution of total catch and effort between all sectors of the linefishery in the south-western Cape},
 year = {1996}
}
,@techreport{12137,
 address = {Staatskoerant},
 author = {Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries},
 title = {Marine Living Resources Act, 1998 (Act No. 18 of 1998) and relevant government gazettes and notices},
 year = {2012}
}
,@phdthesis{170169,
 author = {Brouwer, S.L.},
 school = {M.Sc. thesis, Rhodes University},
 title = {An assessment of the South African east coast linefishery from Kei Mouth to Stil Bay},
 year = {1997}
}
,@article{170170,
 author = {Smith, M.M. and Heemstra, P.C.},
 title = {Smiths’ Sea Fishes},
 year = {1991}
}
,@article{170170,
 author = {Buxton, C.D.  and Smale, M.J.},
 journal = {Koedoe},
 number = {1984},
 pages = {13--24},
 title = {A preliminary investigation of the ichthyofauna of the Tsitsikamma Coastal National Park},
 volume = {27},
 year = {1984}
}
,@article{170185,
 author = {Beckley, L.E. and Buxton, C.D.},
 journal = {Transactions of the Royal Society of Southern Africa},
 pages = {29 38},
 title = {Underwater observations of reef fish in and around Algoa Bay, South Africa},
 volume = {47},
 year = {1989}
}
,@techreport{170218,
 author = {Jayiya, T.P., B.Q. Mann and C. Wilke},
 institution = {Special Publication Oceanographic Research Institute 7},
 title = {Boopsoidea inornata},
 year = {2000}
}
,@article{170218,
 author = {Garratt, P.A.},
 journal = {Journal of Fish Biology},
 number = {3},
 pages = {297--306},
 title = {Protogynous hermaphroditism in slinger <i>Chrysoblephus puniceus</i> (Gilchrist and Thompson, 1971) (Teleostei: Sparidae)},
 volume = {28},
 year = {1986}
}
,@article{170218,
 author = {Wood, A.D., Brouwer, S.L., Cowley, P.D. and Harrison, T.D.},
 journal = {Koedoe},
 number = {1},
 pages = {83--95},
 title = {An updated checklist of the ichthyofaunal species assemblage of the Tsitsikamma National Park, South Africa},
 volume = {43},
 year = {2000}
}
,@phdthesis{170218,
 author = {Smith, M.K.S.},
 school = {MSc thesis, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa},
 title = {Towards a new approach for coastal governance with an assessment of th Plettenberg Bay nearshore linefisheries},
 year = {2005}
}
,@phdthesis{170218,
 author = {Wood, A.D.},
 school = {Rhodes University},
 title = {A contribution towards the taxonomy of the ichthyoplankton species community and an understanding of its dynamics along the south-east coast of South-Africa },
 year = {1998}
}
,@phdthesis{170218,
 author = {Trow, B.E.},
 school = {Rhodes University},
 title = {A preliminary study on the diet and feeding of the 'Fransmadam', <i>Boopsoidea inornata</i> (Sparidae: Pagellinae).},
 year = {1982}
}
,@phdthesis{170218,
 author = {Burger, L.F.},
 school = {Rhodes University},
 title = {The distribution patterns and community structure of the Tsitskamma rocky littoral ichthyofauna},
 year = {1990}
}
,@phdthesis{170218,
 author = {King, C.},
 school = {MSc thesis},
 title = {Towards a new approach for coastal governance with an assessment of th Plettenberg Bay shore-based linefishery},
 year = {2005}
}
,]

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